116 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



PREPARATION OP BORDEAUX MIXTURE. 



The ingredients are copper sulphate, lime and water. A good quality of copper 

 sulphate should be secured. As pointed out by Mr. Fairchild, a brand which contains 

 a large amount of iron or zinc sulphate should not be used, although it has not been 

 proved that these ingredients actually injure the mixture. He further states that lime 

 which is made from stone containing a large amount of clay is likely to be what is 

 known as " dead " lime, and to contain small insoluble granules. This kind of lime may 

 be used, but is likely to give trouble by clogging the nozzle unless the resulting milk be 

 well strained before adding it to the copper sulphate. Lime which is air-slacked should 

 not be employed in any case since its use results in injury to the foliage. The method 

 of preparing the mixture has so often been described that I need not again repeat the 

 directions. 



Where large orchard areas are under treatment the work of preparing Bordeaux 

 mixture may be greatly lessened by making at the beginning of the season stock solu- 

 tions of copper sulphate, and lime, which may be diluted as needed. Dissolve 1 00 pounds 

 of copper sulphate in 50 gallons of water, and each two gallons when stirred will con- 

 tain 4 pounds of the salt. In another barrel slake 100 pounds of lime and make up to 

 a milk by adding 50 gallons of water. Each gallon should contain 2 pounds of lime. 

 Where it is desired to make a barrel of Bordeaux mixture, take 2 gallons of the stock 

 solution of copper sulphate and add a sufficient quantity of the milk of lime to neutra- 

 lize it completely. If the lime is of good quality two gallons of the well stirred stock 

 solution will be sufficient. If the lime is of poor quality the proper quantity will be 

 shown by the ferrocyanide of potassium test. If the lime is deficient a drop of the fer- 

 rocyanide of potassium added to the mixture will turn brown. Add lime water till the 

 ferrocyanide remains colourless. 



Spraying with Bordeaux mixture is a practice which has come to stay, at least till 

 a more effective agent is discovered. The work of the season demonstrates the fact that 

 it is efficacious and profitable in proportion as it is thoroughly and perseveringly prac- 

 tised. 



Table I. 



Showing Variety Treated and Percentage of Yield of Fruit of the different Grades. 



E. J. WOOLVERTON. 



Variety of Apple. 



Golden Russet 

 do 

 do 

 do 



Baldwin 



do 



do 



Greening 



do 



do 



Northern Spy 



do 

 do 



do ... 



Cranberry Pippin. 



do 



do 



do 



Spitzenberg 



do 



do 



do 



How Treated. 



Sprayed, handpicked. . - 



do windfall 



Unsprayed, handpicked. 



do windfall 



Sprayed, handpicked. . . . 



do windfall 



Unsprayed, handpicked. 

 Sprayed do 



do windfall 



Unsprayed, handpicked. 

 Sprayed do 



do windfall 



Unsprayed, handpicked . 



do windfall 



Sprayed, handpicked. . . 



do windfall 



Unsprayed, handpicked. 



do windfall . . . 



Sprayed, handpicked 



do windfall 



do handpicked . . . 

 Unsprayed 



Firsts. 



Per cent. 

 3607 



""7 : 89 



"80 : 43" 



55 61 



5225 



ii-83 - 



17 04 

 ' 2 : 48 



51 15 



5000 

 None. 



Seconds. 



Per cent. 



34-86 

 49 09 

 52 63 

 15 00 

 19 56 

 70 83 



29 75 



34 70 



100 00 



41 08 

 7142 



42 40 



56 12 

 36 66 

 58.70 

 36 00 

 4186 

 52 63 

 50 00 

 None. 



Thirds. 



Per cent. 



29 05 

 50 90 

 39 48 

 8500 



29 16 



14 63 

 65 30 



666 

 27-58 

 45 76 

 100 00 

 26 84 

 63 34 

 38 82 

 6400 



699 

 47 37 



None. 



